Ma'ale Adumim - מעלה אדומים

Ma'aleh Adumim is located seven kilometers (4.5 miles) east of Jerusalem. This is geographically significant in that it makes Ma'aleh Adumim a central location linking the Jordan Valley and Judean Desert to the nation capital, Jerusalem. Historically, foreign powers ruling the area - from the Romans to the Jordanians - attempted to secure this route and considered Ma'aleh Adumim strategically crucial to the defense of Jerusalem.

Residents  back to top^
Ma’aleh Adumim’s population is diverse and runs the spectrum of religious observance and national origin. The English-speaking community tends to be mostly Religious-Zionist, and mostly in their late 30s to early 40s. However, new projects under development are attracting younger families to the area.

Professionally, residents are involved in just about every field imaginable. Most commute to work in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or other nearby commercial centers, but a fair number also work in Ma’aleh Adumim. The city’s numerous educational institutions and its commercial district, Mishor Adumim, provide opportunities for employment.

Education back to top^
Ma’aleh Adumim offers educational programs from preschool through college. There are numerous maon programs, and no fewer than 39 different ganim spread throughout the city. In general, residents are satisfied with all of these services.

Primary education is provided at two state schools, one state religious school, and one semi-private religious school. Most of the children from English-speaking backgrounds attend Ma’aleh HaTorah, a Torani public school. The school is housed in a large, modern facility. Parents have a high level of involvement in the school and are generally satisfied with the education their children are receiving. A smaller number of children of English-speaking olim attend Sdei Chemed

Many of the girls on Ma’aleh Adumim attend the Ulpanat Tzvia, located on Ma’aleh Adumim, upon graduating from elementary school. Tzvia is known for high expectations in both religious and secular learning. However, the school also emphasizes character development and skills considered essential to young religious women.

Ma’aleh Adumim has a well-developed program for children with special needs. Schools have both special education tracks and inclusion programs. In addition, there is an afternoon club-house program specifically for children with special needs.

Ma’aleh Adumim has an active Bnei Akiva chapter, that figures prominently into the lives of the city’s youth.

Housing back to top^
Indeed Ma'aleh Adumim, with its many red-tile roofed detached and semi-detached homes and low-rise apartment buildings, is very much Israeli suburbia. In Ma'ale Adumim a three-bedroom apartment costs about $180,000, while in Jerusalem it can cost more than twice as much.

The city's ever exploding population gives growth to new apartment blocks and housing developments. New and second-hand homes available for purchase; rentals also available.

Transportation back to top^
Many of Ma'ale Adumim’s residents manage just fine without a car. The supermarket and most minimarkets deliver, and residents can travel anywhere within the city on a special intra-city Egged bus or via one of two local taxi stands. As is the case wherever you live, the need for a car is much greater among families with several kids, who plan to travel together as a family.

Ma'ale Adumim is also a pedestrian-friendly city. Through a complex network of foot-paths, it is possible to travel all over Ma'ale Adumim without ever crossing a major street. There are four Egged bus routes that travel between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem every 5-15 minutes. From the central bus station in Jerusalem, it is also possible to take a direct bus to Tel Aviv. This would make it possible to travel by bus to Tel Aviv from your home in Ma'ale Adumim in about 1 1/2 hours. Some people do drive daily from Ma'ale Adumim to Tel Aviv and, depending upon traffic, can arrive there within 50 minutes.

Cultural Activities back to top^
The Community enjoys many cultural activities through the services of the outstanding faciltiies of its Matnas. Events such as the Purim parades when children and some adults dress up in costumes to celebrate the holiday commemorating an ancient Jewish victory. "We [also] had a snow day where they imported snow from Mount Hermon," part of the Golan Heights that Israel won from Syria and continues to occupy.

One can give you many more examples of the cultural activities which help present a picture of what life is like in Ma'ale Adumim. Ma'ale Adumim is most proud of the "harmony" among the diverse mix of residents in Ma'ale Adumim.

Religious Life back to top^
Religious life in Ma’aleh Admum largely revolves around the 35 synagogues spread throughout the various neighborhoods. Yishivat Birkat Moshe, a Religious-Zionist hesder yeshiva, also serves as a spiritual center for the city, and its teachers and advanced students offer classes for the larger community. Two synagogues in particular, Mitzpeh Nevo in the Mitzpeh Nevo neighborhood and Musar Avicha in the Klei Shir neighborhood, have a significant number of English-speaking people.

Also available to the Ma'ale Adumim community are the facilities of the youth groups: Bnei Akiva, Ariel, Ezra.

Community Services back to top^
Ma’aleh Adumim’s Matnas resembles a country club more than a community center. It offers dozens of activities for all ages, sports, concerts, shows, and an outstanding music program. There are also tennis courts and basketball courts, two swimming pools (one indoor and one outdoor) with separate as well as family hours, and a brand new exercise facility.

Health Services back to top^
All of the kupot holim have clinics in Ma’aleh Adumim, and the city also is home to a TEREM Medical Center, which provides emergency services. In addition, Ma’aleh Adumim has two Tipot Halav (well baby centers), a dental practice, optometrists, a child development center, and three veterinarians.

Commerce back to top^
Here are just a few examples of the variety of commercial establishments in Ma’aleh Adumim: a mall with food court, hardware store, supermarket, mini-markets, pharmacy, banks, stationary store, film and camera shop, bookstore, bakeries, movie theaters, and clothing shops. And if you ever need anything else, the center of Jerusalem is only 10-15 minutes away.

Physical Surroundings back to top^
Ma’aleh Adumim is located on the edge of the Judean Desert. It is surrounded by exquisite panoramic views. To the north and west are the hills of Jerusalem, including Mount Scopus and the Mount of Olives. The view toward the east and south is of the tranquil hills of the Judean Desert. The planners of Ma’aleh Adumim were evidently keenly aware of the challenges in building a city atop a hill with beautiful views and an ecologically sensitive environment. Houses are mostly built low, facing scenic landscapes.

It is difficult to over emphasize the priority Ma’aleh Adumim has placed on beautifying its public spaces. The city has maintained over 1,100 dunams of green areas, built dozens of playgrounds, planted flowers in its traffic circles, and installed outdoor sculptures. In recognition of its efforts, Ma’aleh Adumim won the Beauty and Environmental Quality award given by the Council for a Beautiful Israel.

Absorption back to top^
Absorption into the community is facilitated informally by neighborhood residents. An oleh is likely to find the smoothest and warmest welcome among other North American immigrants. The synagogues tend to be the most popular places for olim to meet their neighbors and begin to socialize. However, that does not mean that only religious olim will be warmly welcome. Ma’aleh Adumim residents are happy to see newcomers – be they religious or not – and will welcome them graciously into their homes. It is just that Shabbat in general is the time of leisure and socialization, and the synagogue is the place where most of this happens.

Ma’aleh Adumim does run some ulpan programs in the city, which serves largely the Russian community, but many new North American immigrants travel to Jerusalem for a wider variety of levels. Representatives from a few of the governmental ministries come to Ma’aleh Adumim once a week for public reception hours. Olim can tend to most of their bureaucratic needs during that time, and if they need anything else, Jerusalem is only 10-15 minutes away.